Sandro Nannini's Suzuka win for Benetton

Alessandro Nannini moved from Minardi to Benetton, won the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix, and saw his Formula 1 career end in an accident in 1990.

Alessandro Nannini, known as Sandro, was born in Siena, Italy, on 7 July 1959. He started out in rallying with a Lancia Stratos, switched to circuit racing in 1981 and won the Formula Italia title in his first year, then spent three seasons with Minardi in European Formula Two from 1982 to 1984. He also drove Lancia sports prototypes, winning the 1000 km of Kyalami in 1984 with Riccardo Patrese.

Minardi gave him his Formula 1 debut at the 1986 Brazilian Grand Prix. The Minardi cars were rarely reliable, and his two seasons there brought no points. Benetton signed him for 1988 as teammate to Thierry Boutsen, and he took third places at the British and Spanish Grands Prix that year.

In 1989 he finished third at Imola and Silverstone, then won the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, inheriting victory after Ayrton Senna, who had crossed the line first, was disqualified. A second place in Australia followed, and he finished sixth in the championship. With Nelson Piquet as his teammate in 1990 he added three more podiums, including second place in Germany.

In October 1990, shortly after the Spanish Grand Prix, Nannini was seriously injured in a helicopter accident, which ended his Formula 1 career after 76 starts, 1 win, 2 fastest laps and 9 podiums. He returned to racing in 1993 with Alfa Corse in German touring cars, finishing third in the 1996 International Touring Car Championship, and won a race in the 1997 FIA GT Championship for Mercedes before retiring.

0 world titles, 1 wins, 0 pole positions, 76 starts.

Teams

Victories

• Japanese Grand Prix 1989